Calculators in the Math Classrooms

Nowadays, the use of basic or graphing calculators is common in all Mathematics classes or standardized exams such as the SAT or ACT. Calculators are meant to save students’ time in doing basic operations such as adding or subtracting while they are solving multi-steps problems. As a result, more students tend to rely heavily on the calculators to do the basic addition, subtraction, division or multiplication for them, and eventually lose the ability to do them on their own. I think this has become a major issue in Mathematics education, many educators do not see this as a problem, which concerns me the most. I never get a chance to use the calculator in class until high school. But now, middle school teachers already start teaching their students how to use calculators. Few months ago, I went to observe a 7^th grade math class in a school at Newark and what I had seen surprised me. The teacher asked one student to get the basic pocket calculators from the closet and distribute it to every student. It is an eye-opening experience for me because I never know that students begin to use calculators in middle school, and the teacher does not see the risk of doing that. It is actually depressing to see that some students don’t even know what two times two is while they shall already have the multiplication table memorized, and have to input in into the calculator to get the answer. Moreover, I also saw the same thing happened in Montclair State University. I work at the Red Hawk Math Learning Center on campus as an undergraduate tutor. I actually saw some students, who are taking college-level math courses, did the same thing that those middle school students did. They can’t calculate what seven minus five is in their head, and have to physically put it into the calculator to get the answer. I really wonder how they are going to do in the class when they get to more advanced topics such as derivative. Therefore, I truly believe that calculators shall not be allowed until students are in more advanced math classes such as Pre-Calculus.

Allowing students to use calculators at an early age is not helping students to develop or enhance their basic Math skills. It actually takes away students’ opportunity to improve those skills so that they become natural, something that students shall be able to do without much effort. Fundamental skills such as being able to add or subtract two one digit numbers are absolutely crucial in students’ learning of Math. Math requires a lot of prior knowledge and basic skills, and concepts build upon each other. Therefore, you can’t miss any step in the process if you want to succeed in a Math class. If students rely on the calculator to do the basic stuff for them, how are they going to learn the more abstract concept?  Calculators are meant to make the process of solving Math problems easier and effective, but it doesn't mean that students shall depend on the calculators to do it for them. From what I have seen either at the school or tutoring center, I believe that calculators are harmful to students in middle school or basic math courses. Teaching them how to use the calculator is not helping them to learn those skills. Those skills shall become so natural that they do not even have to think much about it, and be able to do. I believe practice makes perfect. The more you practice your basic skills either by doing basic addition or multiplication in your head, the better your skills will be. So, I disagree with the use of calculators in Math class because Math isn't just about getting the answer quick, it is about grasping the basic skills and build up upon those skills.  

Technology Autobiography

The three most influential communications technologies that I have picked are cellphones, computers, and tablets such as IPad. The three technologies, especially my phone definitely play a major role in my life as a college student. I cannot live without my smartphone because it is like my “second brain.” Whenever I need to look up new information such as definitions, a restaurant’s address or math formulas, I just pull out my phone and google it. I get most of my news through my phone because I do not like to read newspaper. Reading the news becomes much more convenient. Besides that, most of my professors like to post homework solutions, lectures notes, and assignment on BlackBoard, and my assignments are mostly online readings.   Therefore, being able to access the internet using a smartphone or computer makes learning a lot easier. I am still able to catch up with the materials even if I have missed a class, and no longer have to worry about losing the worksheets that my professors give out in class. Besides my smartphone, computer and my Ipad also make me a better learner. Rather than going to the library and checking out some books, I like to read books on Ipad. I am able to read three different books at the same time without having to carry around three books with me. I also use the computer to type essays or do some research. Technology allows learning to take place at anytime and anywhere.

Although technology seems to make our lives easily for the most part, there are also some downsides to the overly reliance on technology. Over the past few years, I have lost some of my “natural” abilities such as communicating with people without constantly checking my phone, and remembering things without setting any reminder in my phone. Now, I can’t chat with people unless I have my phone in my hand, which makes the person whom I chat with feel that I am rude. My ability to retain learning materials is also impacted by the excessive use of technologies. I am used to taking notes by hand, but now, I take notes in class using my computer because it is much faster. Although taking notes becomes so much easily, but I can’t retain as much information as I used to be able to when I take notes by hand. Besides that, computer or cellphone become distracting sometimes when I study for a test or do my homework.  A Facebook or message notification may distract me easily while I am reading an article or writing an essay. Technologies have definitely shaped my life for better and for worse.

There are some similarities and differences between my uses of technologies and the uses of technologies among the young people in the video. In the video, one girl mentions that she learns Japanese through the internet. I also learned some Korean through the internet as well by watching Korean dramas, and listening to Korean songs online. Also, one student mentions how she uses her phone to take photos of her poster boards, and then uploads them online just so other people can also see. Sometimes, I use my phone as a note-taking tool as well. I just take a picture of my friends’ notes when I miss a class so that I am not missing out any new materials. There are also some differences between my uses of technologies as compared to the uses of technologies among the students in the video. One student in the video mentions that he plays games on the computer, and how the communication takes place in the games is similar to the communication between group members in real life. For the most part, I use my computer for schoolwork. I don’t play games on the computer so I do not see the connection that he mentions between games and real life. Most students in the video seem to use technologies for their hobbies such as listening to music, composing music or building a blog, which is very different from my uses of technology. My hobbies do not involve that much use of technology as compared to the hobbies of the students. But for the most part, my uses of technologies are very similar to the uses of technologies among the young people in the video.